Claws
by Bronwyn.B
Summary: Before they met, they were in love. Their first loves. Before him, she'd graduated high school, begun to teach and enjoyed her life. Before her, his life had been good. He worked hard in school and loved his girlfriend. But that was before the incident. She went on dates with boys. He began to feel the strain of hiding the truth. But then again, that was before they saw each other.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One: Before You**

Before they met, they were in love. Their first loves. They had learnt what it meant to care for someone else, to put the needs of another above their own, how to comfort when they were low and share one another's happiness. They'd also learnt what it was like to argue, to fight and eventually make up. So many lessons learnt while they were still teenagers, ready to go into the world and experience it.

Before him, she'd graduated high school and begun to teach. Days were spent split between her old high school, middle school and closest community college. Before him, she'd thought maybe she should go to college in a few years and formally train as a teacher. She spent time with her family, especially her two young nieces and tried to make time for friends whenever possible. She enjoyed her life, even though her heart as inevitably crushed by her self-absorbed boyfriend.

Before her, his life had been good. Not perfect, but no-one's is. He worked hard in school, graduated with a scholarship for Washington State and had a happy home life. He loved his girlfriend and shared everything with her. But that was also before the incident.

She went on dates with boys, content to have her independence while young.

He began to feel the strain of hiding the truth from his mother, girlfriend and community.

But then again, that was before they saw each other.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: Eyes**

His universe re-arranged the moment she caught his eyes. The light was dimming as the sun proceeded to sink in the sky, but he saw her perfectly. Everything was spinning but her. She was in the centre, holding everything in a perfect concentric orbit. And he was there, spinning with it all, but she kept him tethered. The distance was painful, he needed to be closer so he could touch her, caress her soft skin and long, silky hair, see the onyx pupils in her dark brown eyes, hear her soft, deep breaths and feel the heat radiating from her skin. He needed to be in the centre with her.

It didn't seem possible that Sam could feel like this so quickly, but time didn't seem to be moving as it usually did. Every second was drawn out, stretched and distorted so that the flutter of her eyelashes could have taken a lifetime. Sam didn't know. He knew only that he had to move closer.

Something about the man held Emily's attention as her younger cousin chattered away, unaware of her distraction. She knew who he was, just as he knew her, from previous encounters although their acquaintance was mostly skin-deep. They were connected through her cousin, her best friend, Leah, who was undoubtedly the reason he had come this evening. He came to see her; their encounter was a by-product. They would greet one another and then each would be dismissed.

Sam couldn't look away. He refused to. She was perfect. He was bound to her.

Emily blinked while his intense, unyielding gaze was unwavering. She absently noticed him inhale as her eyelids fluttered and lips parted almost imperceptibly. It felt as though he was scrutinising every inch of her face… looking for flaws? Lord knew she had some. Perhaps he was just picking out the changes in her appearance since they last crossed paths. It had been a while and Emily took note of his greatly enhanced form. He was taller than she recalled, although that could be attributed to her seated position. He was unquestionably broader and far more muscled than previous, more modestly clothed, experiences had led her to believe. His expression, too, differed greatly; it was a look she did not recognise, one that displayed an unconcealed curiosity mixed with wonderment and a magnified recognition. She would be tempted to add a hint of adoration too, had she not known better. Either way, the reaction was unanticipated and threw Emily off.

He didn't know what to make of her reaction to him, it seemed confused and, as the seconds ticked by, increasingly wary. He knew that a greater physical proximity would go part way to remedying the newly present ache in his chest, but was unsure how she would react. Would it be enough to calm the accelerated rise and fall of her chest, or would different actions be required? The flick of his eyes down as he listened to her steady heartbeat only served to draw them into studying the rest of her body, namely her rounded breasts which were concealed beneath a light off-red top and partially hidden by a bent arm. She unconsciously fingered the ends of her unfastened hair which was swept over one shoulder, exposing her slender neck and a throbbing pulse point with it. The skin twitched rhythmically, her heartbeat becoming more pronounced so Sam could hear it drumming in sync with each twitch, thundering louder than everyone else's until it was the only thing he could hear, other than her deep inhalations.

Emily struggled to pull her eyes away from Sam, as if doing so would provoke him to pounce. Instead she continued to watch him, making sure to blink frequently and provide some audible responses as Seth told his story. Her left hand curled loosely, wrist resting on the arm of her chair whilst her fingernails gently scrapped against her moist palm. The man, who seemed to become more of a stranger to Emily with each passing second, remained in the same stance he'd adopted when she'd looked at him several minutes before, frozen in the doorway almost ten yards away. He barely blinked. He just stared at her as Emily's discomfort continued to grow.

The almost silent world Emily had pulled him into felt calm, nearly serene despite Sam knowing his unpunctuated attention was making her uneasy. He knew he'd find the opportunity to right their unbalanced relationship, even as confusion and wariness etched itself deeper into her expression. And then she smiled. A small one, but a smile nonetheless, almost hopeful as the skin around her eyes crinkled ever so slightly.

But she wasn't looking at him. In Sam's daze where Emily was the only creature of importance, he'd blocked out the sounds of life around him, including those emanating from Leah, his girlfriend.

She stood behind him, arms slipping round his torso so easily it made him uncomfortable. Sam had never felt this sensation around Leah before, discounting those few nervous first conversations and dates. Except it was almost as if he was… disappointed. But no, Sam loved Leah. He knew he hid. He loved the way she curled up to his side when they laid together, the way she would comb her fingers through his hair just above his ears when he was worried or stressed out, the way she smiled at him when he was caught watching her. But deep down, in his bones, he knew that his love for Leah wasn't right anymore. It was still there, but now so much dimmer than it had been. The thought of showing or even attempting intimacy with her when Emily could see or was simply aware of it sent a sliver of ice through his veins. It was her Sam wanted to lie beside at night, her he wanted to steal kisses from when they both had other things to be doing. It was Emily he wanted to stand besides just so he could feel the warmth radiating from her coppery skin and smell the sweet air surrounding her, even if he couldn't act further.

"Are you gonna come sit down then?" Leah asked, suspicion lacing her voice as she appeared before him, eyes narrowed as she took it his unmoving stance.

Her calm demeanour threw him a little. Leah didn't seem the slightest bit worried about the fact she'd been watching her cousin for a sort while now. And he knew she was well aware as Leah looked around and exchanged glances with Emily, the latter consciously avoiding his eyes as he quickly examined her once again. The concern taking over Leah's expression was too much to bear as they stood by her house, linked together by their clasped hands; it was the same look Sam had seen on her face on so many occasions since the incident. Now, somehow, the scenario seemed crueller, placing Leah in the firing line.

"Leah…" he murmured lowly, knowing only she would hear him. "We need to talk."

And there it was – those few words that signalled Sam's disloyalty and lies. They had finally come to a head, pushing their way into his and Leah's relationship as his affections were forcefully transferred to her cousin. Leah seemed puzzled, but so far not overly worried with the direction Sam was leading her in. And despite her profile being positioned front and centre, his eyes drifted off to the left, catching Emily's half-hidden concern as her eyes flicked between various family members.

Emily tried to distract herself as Leah and Sam retreated into the house, leaving herself, her aunt, uncle and cousin to wonder what they were talking about inside. And she knew they were talking as Leah's dissatisfied tones carried back outside. Her voice gradually rose in pitch, laced with hurt and that stubbornness Emily had experienced since infancy until at last she was no longer in her chair but weaving around the plants and creaky furniture to reach the back door.

Sam heard her enter, hinges creaking as the door eased open briefly. He stiffened as he felt her approaching, hair pricking up all over his body while he tried to comfort Leah. His gut churned as each second brought Emily closer to him, finger twitching as he fought the urge to turn and wrap her in his arms.

Emily hovered outside the living room, peeking around the doorframe to try and catch a glimpse of her best friend. Presented only wait Sam's broad, obstinate back she retreated a few paces, unsure whether to interrupt. She could hear Leah's sniffles and muffled sobs and deduced what had just taken place.

His whispers of "I'm sorry" were pathetic and meaningless as they left his mouth and he knew it. He couldn't undo the pain he'd inflicted upon the first girl he loved, but there seemed to be no way around it. After all, he couldn't bear the thought of stringing Leah along just to cause more upset later on. Either way, Sam couldn't imagine ever forgiving himself for what he'd just done. He loved Leah… he _loved_ her… but not like before. The warmth that had been growing inside him from the moment Emily had caught his attention sparked as her clothed arm brushed against him, fingers curling around his forearm to pull him away from Leah. The loss of contact was like an icy knife plunged into his guts, twisting ever so slightly as her hardening gaze and downturned mouth faced him briefly.

Sam was an unwelcome intrusion as Emily gathered Leah into her arms and pulled her wet cheek against her shoulder.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three: Eyes**

His whole body shook as Sam sat alone in his bedroom, rebuffing his mother's attempts to provide comfort despite not knowing quite what had transpired. Sam hadn't said a word since leaving the Clearwater residence an hour ago. He was still processing the events, after all, and talking about it could potentially make his head explode. The only real noises in his room were the incessant ticking of an old alarm clock and his laboured, uneven breath.

Occasionally his concentration would slip and he would think of the damage he'd done to Leah, then the little control he had would almost escape from his grasp until he was silently begging whichever spirits had cursed him to let him keep his human form. The thought of becoming that huge, pitch black wolf right now was sickening. As it was, Sam could still barely stay human when subjected to those randomly timed but commonplace stresses; this scenario would trap him as an animal for a week if he phased now. There was no world in which Sam could survive as that beast for so long when every part of him yearned to see Emily again. He had to see her, no question about it, although not tonight. Tomorrow, that would be perfect – Emily would return to the Makah reservation and he could approach her where no-one would give him curious or concerned stares. Sam would finally be able to talk to Emily tomorrow.

Emily was ready to stay the night in her cousin's room before Sue shooed her out; it wasn't malicious, they both had Leah's best interests at heart, but, as Sue had gently pointed out, Emily had her own responsibilities to attend to the next day and giving all her attention to Leah wasn't good for her. Despite that, it was still fairly late when Emily finally relented and left La Push, and later still when she collapsed into bed, sleep abducting her only minutes later.

The next day was like most others in many respects; Emily rose early and taught a few classes in her local school before driving over to the closest community college and doing the same. After work she stopped by the grocery store to replenish a few things in the fridge, and then headed home to where her mom was playing in the backyard with Emily's two nieces. The eldest, Brooke, had recently turned four while the younger girl, Claire, was only a few months away from her second birthday. Despite the difference, the two sisters were equally large handfuls for their grandma who would let them get away with murder if the event occurred.

"Gram! Gram! Auntie Emmy's home!" Brooke screamed as she parked up alongside the house. The driveway extended partway into the backyard, separating Emily and the girls by only a simple wooden fence and its accompanying gate. The little girl was at the gate before Emily had even nudged the car door shut, fiddling with the latch even as she and her mother told her to stop.

"Hi Brookie," Emily grinned as her niece peered at the paper bag. Unhooking the latch, she rushed through the gate, blocking yet another of Brooke's opportunistic escape attempts, as per the norm, and ruffled her hair. "Hi Mom."

"Wha's in there?" the little girl questioned, hanging from her aunt's free arm.

"Some yummy food for later. I have some apples, some bread, some butter…"

"Lemme see!" Brooke had wrestled the bag away from her aunt and was already laying things out on the grass for her and her sister to inspect before Emily plopped down beside them.

"How was work, hun?" her mom asked, holding a flopping Claire in her lap.

"Oh, fine, but I'm not sure what's harder: wrangling twenty six and seven year-olds or keeping college students awake!" Emily sighed and stretched out along the edge of the blanket.

Her mom chuckled. "There's a reason I'm sticking with these two!"

Emily smiled softly, grateful that she had some flexibility in her work schedule that allowed her to send time with her nieces. Her brother and sister-in-law were always grateful when she volunteered to care for their daughters a few extra hours here and there, knowing that they could spend their saved childcare money on other necessities.

"Auntie Emmy, Auntie Emmy, can we make cookies?" Brooke half-screamed a moment later, wild-eyed and clutching the stick of butter in her little white-knuckled fists.

Her intense expression had both Emily and her mother chuckling, even more so when Claire joined in with her little baby giggles.

"Tomorrow, okay?" she promised, wrestling the butter away from the little girl.

"But- but-"

"Hey now, your mommy's gonna be here in an hour," Emily reasoned. "We'll have lots of time tomorrow."

Brooke's face refused to lift from its downturned expression while Emily packed all of her groceries back into the bag. Rising and walking back into the house while her mom resumed playing with the girls, Emily shrugged her satchel off in their small kitchen and flicked the kettle on before putting everything away in their designated spots. The last cabinet door swung shut with a nudge of her knee and everything was as it should be.

Leaning one hip against the sink, Emily cradled a wonderfully hot cup of tea in her hands, watching her mother and two little nieces still running wild in the backyard. A smile crept onto her face as she raised the cup and turned to look out of the front window.

His nerves were getting the better of him as Sam jostled one leg, foot tapping on the sidewalk. It helped him control the change – sometimes – when he was stressed. How did he talk to her? Should he go knock on the door, hope she answered instead of her mother? At least Emily's father wasn't home, though there was still a chance her mother would recognise him and be aware of yesterday's debacle. Now was an opportune moment though; Emily was inside the house, and he could hear her mom out back with two children. Even though he hadn't settled on the words that would clearly encapsulate both a believable explanation and the gravity of his new feelings for Emily, the unbearable pull to her after waiting to see and speak to her carried his feet onward, closer to her house.

Dumbstruck at his sudden appearance across the street from her home, Emily stilled, steam emanating from her raised cup to condense on her cheeks. He hadn't been there moments ago when she'd last glanced out. He wasn't even looking over at her or the house but it was clear as day that it was her Sam had come to see; still, she had to rack her brain to come up with a coherent reason why he would even come to Neah Bay. Did he want advice about Leah? If he wanted to take back whatever it was he'd said to crush her cousin, then he was asking the wrong person. Staring at him for a few more seconds, Emily took in his dishevelled appearance, that weary yet tense expression, before having the sense to set down her tea.

She was out of the house in moments, stomping a clear, straight path across the tarmac until she was mere feet away. Sam's eyes had flown to follow her approach the moment the door had slammed behind her, but now he realised she looked just as he felt – confused, unsure and at a loss for words. His gaze refused to be pulled away no matter how hard he tried to divert it. As the seconds ticked by, Emily's sweet lips parted and reunited several times before pressing into a firm line, her brow heavy and hard. Sam wished she would press those lips to his so he could feel how soft they must be, but he held himself in place, not moving an inch as her critical eyes assessed him.

Up close he looked tired – sleep-deprived, even – with small shadows beneath his heavy eyes. Her mind filled with a dozen insults she could barrage him with, but… Emily couldn't bring herself to say them. As much as she hated what Sam had done, it wasn't as though things had been perfect between him and Leah since whatever happened to him however many weeks ago happened. Of course Emily didn't know the ins and outs of that relationship, so she held back.

"What are you doing here, Sam?" A wave of relief washed over him as the cautious words left her lips, their tone not quite matching the message her eyes were conveying. It was soft and inquisitive rather than accusatory, but she made no attempt to assert any other feelings. Instead she was silent, fingers playing with the fabric where they peeped out of her jacket sleeves. A few more seconds with no response earned Sam a more concerned gaze which both satisfied and shamed him in equal measures.

"I wanted to… to see you." Any surprise Emily felt was well-disguised, Sam noted, before adding, "To talk to you." It wasn't quite what he'd had in mind when he'd imagined finally conversing with her, but then again his mind had continuously drifted into other territory throughout the night's patrol and into the day. Committing a few key sentences to memory that would hopefully prevent her disgust and horror was difficult as he'd remembered her scent, imagining how much more potent it would be up close and undiluted, and then wondering how her hair would feel running between his fingers, whether her skin would feel warm to him, and how his name would sound on her lips. So far two of those thoughts had been addressed; that light floral scent was even better than the hint he'd caught the night before, and another part of his mind whispered how satisfied he'd be even if the only word she said to him from now on was his name. He would do anything just to hear her say 'Sam', whether she was shouting in anger or waking up beside him, he didn't care. Anything, he'd do anything, anything but harm her.

Concern flashed over her face as Sam waited for a response and he wondered briefly what her opinion of him had been before yesterday; it wasn't as though they knew each other well. While Emily and Leah were the best of friends from childhood, Sam only really knew Emily by what he had been told. She hadn't gone to college either, had stayed at home just like him, although her life was already turning out much differently to his own. But he didn't focus on that, concentrating on her face, her eyes and the words waiting to pass her lips.

"Wh–" Emily caught herself before the rest of her question slipped out. 'Why?' was too vague. There could be a million answers to that question, and it would address whichever problem Sam was clearly battling with. Releasing a deep breath, Emily stopped her idle fidgeting and straightened, looking this strange man straight in the eye and declaring her suspicion. "You want to talk about last night."

"Yes."

"About… why you broke up with Leah?"

In a round-about way it was true, Sam admitted to himself. As bad as he felt about what he did, though, he couldn't change what had already happened or even why.

"I had to."

She didn't miss a beat when responding, "You had to?"

Sam doubted Emily was interested in the problems that had affected the last few months of his and Leah's relationship; instead he saw a face that questioned what this had to do with her. Again, words failed him. Instead of detailing her role in the end of that relationship, which would undoubtedly lead to confusion and horror on Emily's part, and her refusal to ever lay eyes on him again, Sam chose to concentrate on his ex-girlfriend's role, noting that it might also make Emily's more sympathetic to him.

"I couldn't lead her on, and hurt her anymore." Sam glanced down and inhaled deeply, gaining a lungful of Emily's scent in the process. "It wasn't fair to stay with Leah and pretend things would get better between us."

Waiting for Emily to voice her opinions on his motives was excruciating, with her expression remaining passive, unfazed by the lingering love he still felt for her. Maybe only a minute had passed – Sam wasn't sure, his sense of time distorted as Emily held his gaze and searched his face for a hint of a lie – before she spoke again.

Emily wasn't sure why exactly she decided to prod Sam further, to ask more questions about his relationship with her cousin. Maybe so she could drag out some of his words later on to comfort Leah, so she could know why he ended things after three years? "How long did you feel this way about you and her?" she questioned, adding, "A few days, or a few weeks?"

While she would have preferred to hear the former, she could already see the guilt on his face. Not just a few days.

"Weeks," he murmured. Emily's face tightened, brows drawing in which quickly prompted him to add to his defence. "I hoped things would get better and go back to normal."

"So?" she pressed, not at all satisfied with his version of events. Sam shifted his glance under her intense gaze, hands rubbing together nervously before one raked through his cropped, jet black hair. Of course he had something else to say, but Emily's interest in that had swiftly waned until she was focused on what has pushed him to that snap decision. Sam had obviously had plenty of opportunities in her book, even if he'd largely been avoiding Leah in recent weeks. Why hadn't he talked to her before? Why wait until she was home with her entire family, plus her closest cousin, and then break things off with her? His reasoning seemed, well… stupid for the most part. Not only had Sam upset his girlfriend, in Emily's mind he also had the nerve to humiliate Leah and then half-heartedly explain it away to one of her best friends the next day! "So why yesterday? Why not the day before, or today, or another day entirely?"

There was nothing in her inquisition to disguise the anger present in her voice. Emily was angry at him because of actions he'd purposely taken that involved her as little as possible. He knew that what he'd felt for Leah before would affect Emily, but… Sam prayed it would be temporary. That she would find it in herself to forgive him some day.

"Because I realised that it wasn't going to be like before. I… I can't love Leah like that anymore. She needs to be – with someone else, and I…"

"Oh." Her eyes finally left his, and while it was a relief to have her piercing gaze no longer focused on him with such scrutinising intensity, Sam still missed it. Silence hung between them, Sam unsure whether or not to give her that definitive reason for the previous night's actions, and Emily nervous to push much further.

Feeling those dark orbs still examining her, she avoided meeting them again, studying the uneven texture of the sidewalk while her thoughts continuously arranged and rearranged, dissecting the reasons this tense, unnerving man had laid out for her. The same single question pestered her even as she found her head nodding in acceptance, however, begging to be asked. It wasn't the type of question that would fade away when she started on a monotonous chore or drop out of her head when distracted; this was one of those niggling things that kept a person awake at night, distracted them from most tasks and aggressively asserted its presence when they heard the most obscure reference. This would eat at Emily long after Sam went back to La Push, even if they didn't see each other again for months.

The question found its way to her lips, her mouth silently forming the words as she continued to stare at the sidewalk. Looking back up, Emily was oddly startled by Sam's sheer size, which somehow seemed larger than it had a few minutes prior. Giving him a brief once-over, she noticed that he seemed to have moved closer while she'd been avoiding his eyes. He even appeared unaware of it, more concerned by her untimely reaction to him and her mental discord than his proximity and their surroundings. It was as if he'd unconsciously inched nearer as he waited for her to say what was clearly on her mind.

For the first time, Emily regarded his stature; while she's noticed his height at her cousin's home, the distance between them, their lack of tangible interaction and the successive events hadn't led her to dwell on physical characters for long. Now, only a foot away, Sam was rather imposing, towering over her by half a foot – maybe slightly more – and composed of long, muscled limbs that tensed and relaxed with each minor movement. With his thin layer of clothing providing little to no aid in concealing their recently developed bulk, she felt not only diminutive beside him but also somewhat insignificant, like she knew he could probably bully her into submission if he felt like it. Although his stance put Emily at a modicum of ease, the question had fled from her mouth, sheltering in the safety of her mind.

The change in her attitude puzzled Sam, seeing her assertiveness shrink back until only her concerned glances betrayed what she felt. Pushing his hands into the pockets of his cut-offs in response to her crossed arms and dipping his head slightly, he tried to counter her reaction to him. He was still trying to get used to how people apparently now saw him – even his family, friends, people he'd known for years acted differently around him, as if his changed physical appearance would change the way he'd treat them. He had to admit that it had, to an extent, but in no outright negative way. If anything, Sam had been less confrontational, regardless of whom he was talking to. There had been a few occasions on which he'd simply walked away from Leah when he couldn't truthfully answer her and she became increasingly irate. Maybe it hadn't left the best impression or had the best outcomes, but it was far better than the only other alternative.

With Emily though, Sam couldn't let her see him the way others did. He didn't particularly care how he'd have to change in order for her to see him with as few misguided preconceptions as possible. It might be hard, convincing her that he wasn't as bad a guy as she might have or currently believed, but it wasn't as though he was strapped for time. He tried to make himself appear smaller in the meantime, easing what he knew must be a tight, anxious expression as he waited expectantly to hear whatever was obviously on her mind.

"Emily," he breather, watching her face for any change.

"Why… why are you telling me this? Why not someone else back in La Push?" Now that was a question Sam knew he'd hear, as much as he'd dreaded to think about it. It wasn't as though Sam had a cut-and-dry answer he could just reel off for her – no, as with most things nowadays, this had to be complicated and barely understandable even for the one person who was aware that something had… _changed_. The only people who possibly understood what the hell was happening to him had never even experienced what he had, only had eye-witness accounts and hand-me-down lore to explain things as best they could, and they were miles away when Sam needed their guidance, home with their own normal families.

"You were there last night – at the Clearwater's – when I arrived, and… It's hard to explain, I don't really know how to… Emily, just… _please_ don't get mad at me. I have to tell you because…"

"…Because you want me to talk to Leah?" Sam cursed internally, furious at himself for his incompetence at even giving one straight answer. Now Emily had the wrong impression, and he knew she'd only be angry when he corrected her.

"No." It came out as a sigh, resigned to accept the outcome no matter how bad. "Emily, that's not why I came here. I… I didn't plan on breaking up with Leah last night. I thought it was going to be a regular evening and we'd have dinner and watch a movie. But you were there, and… you looked… you are…"

"No."

"Yes."

"Sam, _no_." Emily balked at this unexpected confession. Her mind couldn't process it. He'd left her cousin… because of _her? For_ her? Had he expected to come here today and sweep her up into his arms? "No, you didn't hurt my friend because of me! Tell me you didn't! Sam, tell me!"

"I can't." They were barely speaking above a murmur but it was still a punch in a gut for Emily. She wondered how he could stand there looking so calm after practically admitting that he'd left his girlfriend – her _cousin_ – to be with her instead. He appeared completely unfazed by the fact that they barely knew one another, and that not once had she given him a hint of any romantic feelings towards him. If Sam's plan was to wing it and see how things would work out then she had no qualms in letting him free-fall, Emily decided in that moment.

"I don't care. You have to leave."

"Emily, please…" Sam's thin guise of calm began to crack at the sound of those words escaping her lips. "Just let me–"

"No, go away!"

Sam could feel the tremors beginning, and he yanked his hands from his pockets, squeezing one fist inside another in an attempt to release some of that pent-up energy. He tried to make words – anything that would heal the widening rift – come out of his mouth, but nothing would. Instead he helplessly watched, trying to disguise his shaking hands as Emily backed up, feet scuffling against the sidewalk while her angry, confused face showcased just what she thought of him.

"Go home, Sam."

With that she turned away, briskly crossing the road and slamming her front door behind her.


End file.
